What is Dunwoody Village? That is the question of the moment and when posed by the folks we have on our payroll, it is a rhetorical question because city staff is going to do what they are told. By the developers. But really, what is Dunwoody Village?
Well to look at the map it is a relatively small area centered around the Chevron station that started it all. Exclusively businesses but unless the map changes the upcoming Postal Townhouses on The Parkway will add "live" to work-play in the overlay. That's the geography but what is this Village? From a resident's perspective--you know the folks that live around here, shop there and keep the place alive?
You gotta start with Banks. Bankwoody has replaced Dunwoody Housewife Jokes as the Dunwoody Dig. And yes there are plenty of banks but keep in mind some have relocated keeping the net-net under control. And banks can be useful, especially if you want to buy a house or a car. Know what else is handy? Real estate agents and the village has quite the selection of those. And sneaking under the radar is a rather recent growth in law firms--in the farmhouse and over on The Parkway to name just a few. And your car? Which one of those banks holds the title on? Need new tires, service or repairs, or just get it cleaned--over half a dozen places awaiting your business. In the village. Just need to handle normal errands? Mail and shipping? Gotcha covered. Laundry and dry cleaning? How do so many even stay in business? Good eats? Pick your cuisine, price range and dining experience--you'll find multiple options from fast food to white napkin, from burgers to brunch to bar food. Into entertaining at home? Two grocers, a liquor/wine store and growler shop. In the village. Need to work off some of that fine dining? Choose your poison: yoga, pilates, hard workout. In the village. Need an MD after over-doing it, well you're going to have pick a speciality and then choose from one of many. In the village. Same for dentistry. In the village. Need a gash stitched or bone set? Two emergency doc-in-a-box to choose from. In the village. Meds involved? Two big box pharmacies and one independent. In the village. Want to get your doo on? Even without Super Signs there are over half a dozen places to get trimmed, coifed, tinted, polished and massaged. Yep, in the village. And that is the tip of the iceberg given there are multiple office condos and rentals hosting a wide variety of businesses. In the village.
There is a word for The Village: thriving. Businesses have come and gone over the years. Because it is thriving. The Village has been a place where someone with an idea, commitment and a dedication to serving the community can succeed and those with good ideas and hard work and willingness to embrace the community have succeeded. There is a word for those folks: entrepreneur. None of this happened overnight and it didn't happen because of or in spite of bricks and beige. It reflects the hard work of these business people and residents who have supported them. It is not some pre-fab, factory made spawn of a strip-mall architect's pen--it is a reflection of the community. The DVO is merely a legal document codifying what this community has built over the decades.
But developers have a new buzzword, "vibrant," and they're using City staff to get it out. What is "vibrant"? Well if you want to see what "vibrant" was a few years back drive up North Point Parkway from Mansell to the mall. What do you see? Stacked stone. Everywhere. Why? Because just a few years ago developers said that was "vibrant". No more. Now faux-factory-reno-loft-industrial is "vibrant" but what will be "vibrant" five years down the road? Who knows but it won't be what is "vibrant" today because development in this area is brownfield. It is re-development. So developers have baked in planned obsolescence and its name is "vibrant".
These developers are catering to a demographic with short attention spans who are easily attracted to the shiny, the new. The superficial. Those who will soon need something else that is shiny, new. A demographic that is shallow and transient--intellectually if not geographically. Is that your Dunwoody? Is that the Dunwoody you want? What are you going to do about it?
Well to look at the map it is a relatively small area centered around the Chevron station that started it all. Exclusively businesses but unless the map changes the upcoming Postal Townhouses on The Parkway will add "live" to work-play in the overlay. That's the geography but what is this Village? From a resident's perspective--you know the folks that live around here, shop there and keep the place alive?
You gotta start with Banks. Bankwoody has replaced Dunwoody Housewife Jokes as the Dunwoody Dig. And yes there are plenty of banks but keep in mind some have relocated keeping the net-net under control. And banks can be useful, especially if you want to buy a house or a car. Know what else is handy? Real estate agents and the village has quite the selection of those. And sneaking under the radar is a rather recent growth in law firms--in the farmhouse and over on The Parkway to name just a few. And your car? Which one of those banks holds the title on? Need new tires, service or repairs, or just get it cleaned--over half a dozen places awaiting your business. In the village. Just need to handle normal errands? Mail and shipping? Gotcha covered. Laundry and dry cleaning? How do so many even stay in business? Good eats? Pick your cuisine, price range and dining experience--you'll find multiple options from fast food to white napkin, from burgers to brunch to bar food. Into entertaining at home? Two grocers, a liquor/wine store and growler shop. In the village. Need to work off some of that fine dining? Choose your poison: yoga, pilates, hard workout. In the village. Need an MD after over-doing it, well you're going to have pick a speciality and then choose from one of many. In the village. Same for dentistry. In the village. Need a gash stitched or bone set? Two emergency doc-in-a-box to choose from. In the village. Meds involved? Two big box pharmacies and one independent. In the village. Want to get your doo on? Even without Super Signs there are over half a dozen places to get trimmed, coifed, tinted, polished and massaged. Yep, in the village. And that is the tip of the iceberg given there are multiple office condos and rentals hosting a wide variety of businesses. In the village.
There is a word for The Village: thriving. Businesses have come and gone over the years. Because it is thriving. The Village has been a place where someone with an idea, commitment and a dedication to serving the community can succeed and those with good ideas and hard work and willingness to embrace the community have succeeded. There is a word for those folks: entrepreneur. None of this happened overnight and it didn't happen because of or in spite of bricks and beige. It reflects the hard work of these business people and residents who have supported them. It is not some pre-fab, factory made spawn of a strip-mall architect's pen--it is a reflection of the community. The DVO is merely a legal document codifying what this community has built over the decades.
But developers have a new buzzword, "vibrant," and they're using City staff to get it out. What is "vibrant"? Well if you want to see what "vibrant" was a few years back drive up North Point Parkway from Mansell to the mall. What do you see? Stacked stone. Everywhere. Why? Because just a few years ago developers said that was "vibrant". No more. Now faux-factory-reno-loft-industrial is "vibrant" but what will be "vibrant" five years down the road? Who knows but it won't be what is "vibrant" today because development in this area is brownfield. It is re-development. So developers have baked in planned obsolescence and its name is "vibrant".
These developers are catering to a demographic with short attention spans who are easily attracted to the shiny, the new. The superficial. Those who will soon need something else that is shiny, new. A demographic that is shallow and transient--intellectually if not geographically. Is that your Dunwoody? Is that the Dunwoody you want? What are you going to do about it?
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